Houston's Fulbright & Jaworski announced Wednesday that it is combining with London-based Norton Rose to create one of the world's largest law firms with 3,800 lawyers. When the deal is completed in June, the new Norton Rose Fulbright will have 55 offices, including 11 in the U.S., and is expected to generate $2 billion in revenue.

The deal gives Fulbright a much larger geographic footprint, with offices and access to business in Singapore, Moscow and other major oil- and gas-producing regions. Norton Rose, for example, has the second-largest legal presence in Venezuela.

The British firm also gains geographic coverage plus something perhaps more important: Expertise in energy law from “literally hundreds” of Fulbright lawyers already working in the field, said Norman Steinberg, global chairman of Norton Rose.

Steven Pfeiffer, chairman of Fulbright's executive committee, said pairing up with Norton Rose will strengthen the local firm's business in such areas as finance and health care. But he acknowledged that energy was a key consideration.

“Houston is still the global center of the international energy business,” Pfeiffer said.

Even as Fulbright expands overseas through the combination, Texas will remain essential, Pfeiffer said. He noted that Fulbright has doubled the size of its Dallas office over the last six to eight years and is the largest firm in Austin and second-largest in Houston and San Antonio.